In order to ensure the establishment of inclusive and sustainable food systems transformation across Africa, over 4000 agricultural stakeholders have converged in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, for the 13th annual Africa Food Systems Forum.
Tanzania’s Minister of Agriculture, Hussein Mohamed Bashe, welcomed delegates from Tanzania and beyond for attending the summit with the theme Recover, Regenerate, Act: Africa’s Solutions to Food Systems Transformation’.
Bash noted that the summit will provide a platform for the delegates, leaders, and innovators from across the globe to discuss policy, breakthroughs, and innovations in agriculture and food system transformation.
AATF Calls for Conducive Policy to Transform Agriculture in Africa
He emphasized that this year’s summit places a strong emphasis on empowering women and youth, recognizing their pivotal roles and great contributions in reshaping Africa’s food landscape while acknowledging their efforts that represent a significant milestone in the journey towards food security.
The minister also used the opportunity to discuss how Tanzania is working to address food security and job creation through ‘Building a Better Tomorrow: Youth Initiative for Agribusiness (BBT-YIA)’, which aims to provide agribusiness training to 200,000 young individuals and support 15,000 youth-led agribusiness ventures in the country over the next five years.
The Managing Director of the Africa Food Systems Forum, Amath Pathe Sene, stressed the need to tackle food system challenges, disclosing that it is necessary for the continent to develop solutions that are rooted in local context and give paramount importance to the empowerment of women and youth in the process of transforming food systems.
According to Sene, the forum will also build momentum for the Food Systems Transformation dialogue ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 28) in Dubai.
